HEARING SUPPORT CHRISTCHURCH
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
HEARING SUPPORT
CHRISTCHURCH
275 Riccarton Road
PO Box 6460
Christchurch 8442
Telephone 03-341-6705
E-Mail - christchurch@hearing.org.nz
www.hearinginfo.co.nz
www.hearing.org.nz
www.facebook.com/hearingassociationchristchurch
Hours— Tuesday to Friday 9am-3pm
NEWSLETTER
ANNUAL REPORT
FEBRUARY 2018
Registered under the Charities Act 2005
Registration No CC20011
HEARING SUPPORT CHRISTCHURCH BOARD
President (Acting) Lesley McKone
Vice President Russell Simes
Secretary Pauline Marshall
Patron Hon. Ruth Dyson
Treasurer Theona Blom
Hon Solicitor Allister Davis—Clark Boyce Lawyers
Auditor Community Accounting Christchurch
Board Denis Coulter, Gerard Gibb, Margaret Marriott,
Glenda Martin, Tony Rush
Services Co-ordinator Marie Sutton
Manager Pauline Marshall
Field Worker Bev Peterson
WE NEED YOU!!!
VACANCIES
Positions Available: Board Members
Objectives: To assist Hearing Support Christchurch in continuing to offer an excellent service of help and support
to the hearing impaired in our region. To support and encourage our staff as they seek to deliver a quality service
to those with hearing loss and their significant others.
Personal Qualities: An understanding and empathy for those who have hearing loss and willingness to contribute
in positive ways to assist us in delivering our current service. Able to communicate well and work with a
committed team of individuals, as well as our staff.
Commitment: Bimonthly meetings currently held on the 2nd Thursday of every other month at 1pm for around
1.5 hours. Meetings held at the office at 275 Riccarton Road.
This is your opportunity to give something back to the community. Our current committee comprises of amazing
people who are committed and passionate about the issues that affect those with hearing loss, but we are always
looking for fresh faces that bring fresh inspiration and new ideas.
If this sounds like something you would like to get involved in, then please contact Pauline at the office asap for
further information. OR—if you have family members or friends that you think would be interested, have a chat
with them and get them to call us. We would love to hear from you or them.
Disclaimer: The views or information contained in this Newsletter are not necessarily the views of the Hearing Support
Christchurch Board
NOTICE OF 80th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
2pm Thursday 26th April
Notice is hereby given that the 2018 Annual General Meeting of Hearing Support Christchurch will be
held in the Learning Centre 2, Riccarton Library, 71 Main South Rd at 2pm on Thursday 26th April.
Business
1. Consideration and Adoption of the Annual Report, Financial Accounts and Auditor’s Report for the
year ended 31 December 2017
2. The election of Officers and Board members. Nomination forms are available from the office.
3. Routine Business
Speaker—Tony Rush—President of Hearing New Zealand
Afternoon tea and a cake to celebrate our 80th anniversary will be available after the AGM.
Signed
PJ Marshall
For the Board
Subscriptions/Donations for 2018 are now due
PLEASE REMEMBER …...
That we are not funded in any way by the Government and we rely totally
on donations, subscriptions, grants and bequests in order to keep our services going.
Thanks for your wonderful support!
Maybe you would like to consider us when making your Will. See Notice Board, later
in this publication.
Included with this Newsletter you will find your 2018 Donation/Subscription Form.
If your form is green, you have paid your donation/subscription for the 2018 year—thank you! However
if you would like to make a further donation, that is of course, very welcome!
If this form is pink, then your 2018 donation/subscription is outstanding.
Thank you for your support and encouragement as we continue our work
to assist the Hearing Impaired of Canterbury
Please note that we include space on your form for you to complete if you wish to be part of our Email
Contact Group and kept up to date with what is happening on a regular basis. Please note that you do
not need to fill this in every time you send in your subscription/donation—but do let us know if you change
your email address.
Thank you!!!
A huge big thank you to those of you who remember to include a stamped self-addressed envelope when
you want a receipt for your subscription/donation. Not to mention those of you who receive the
newsletter by e-mail
Our newsletter costs about $400 to produce and send out so we really appreciate it!
Hi from Pauline and Marie
Well it has been a very interesting last few weeks! We
must apologise to any of you that came into the office
between the 16th and 23rd March when we unfortunately
had to close the office. Pauline had scheduled sick leave to
recover from planned surgery but during this time Marie
also managed to cut her right hand index finger tendon,
also requiring surgery! And you guessed it—she’s not left
handed or even a little bit ambidextrous! We have a lot of
catching up to do now, including typing the rest of this
newsletter with one hand! Apologies if you are waiting
for a receipt for your subscription/donation, it is coming—
writing is not very easy at the moment!
During Hearing Week 2018 we had display stands in
Upper Riccarton library and Chistchurch South library
kindly delivered by our Board member Gerard Gibb. Our
president Lesley McKone and Gerard also distributed
Hearing Week posters and our brochures to the remaining
Christchurch City libraries—Thanks guys!!!
We finished off Hearing Week with the Southern Regional
meeting, with Lesley McKone and Tony Rush representing
Christchurch. We are pleased to announce that our
Treasurer Theona Blom has agreed to accept her
nomination (in her absence) as the second representative
for the Southern Region on the Hearing NZ Board. Theona
will join the Board at the National AGM in May in
Wellington.
E-mail address changes
I notice I have been having a few e-mails bounced back
to me from members. Despite assurances from
Vodafone I’m afraid they are definitely not forwarding
on all e-mails to your new e-mail address so if you Membership discount offer!!!
have changed your e-mail address when Vodafone
stopped providing their e-mail service (mainly Telstra- Introduce a new member to Hearing Support and
clear & Paradise e-mails) and you still wish to receive we will give you $5 off your next membership
information and newsletters from us, please let me subscription.
know what your new e-mail address is. Make sure you tell your friend to let us know who
marie.hearingchch@xtra.co.nz recommended them so that you get your discount!
Thanks!
Did you know we are now on Facebook?
This is a great platform for us as it is free exposure about us and our services. If you already
have a Facebook page we would love it if you would LIKE our page add us to your Friends list
and ask your friends and family to LIKE us as well.
Liking a page or post helps us to get Hearing Support and our message out into the social media community,
spreading the word about how we can help people who struggle with hearing loss issues.
NEWSLETTER ANNUAL REPORT 2018
BRANCH REPORT
It has been another busy year for our staff and Board in Christchurch beginning with the resignation of
our Treasurer Naomi Davis and the recruitment and appointment of a very capable replacement, Theona Blom who
has become a valuable member of our Board.
Our Rest Home Programme also saw staff changes early on which meant the service had to cease while we recruit-
ed for a suitable replacement. Following her training, Bev is now capably working away in the facilities we service.
We managed to get some more on board following another round of letters highlighting the service, and our aim is
to service as many as we possibly can in Christchurch. This is hampered by the fact that most facilities prefer not to
pay and we intend to investigate ways to ensure hearing aid management is covered in facility audits. The
programme also has a new portable suction device – JodiVac to replace the cumbersome Ultravac unit.
During Hearing Week we had advertising stands in two local Libraries outlining the theme and our services.
Pauline attended a Silent Leadership Challenge (SLC) training day at NFD in order to learn how to use it effectively to
promote hearing loss prevention and for our own fundraising. This led to us taking part in the challenge which
involved a bit of preparation work as well as work on the day. We were very pleased with the result raising more
than $3000.00. It is our intent to push it hard this year and raise even more, as well as raising the profile of hearing
loss issues.
Russell and Pauline introduced our organisation to audiology students at Canterbury University and chatted with
them about volunteering on the committee. Sadly this year it didn’t result in any volunteers. However we also
attended the Student Volunteer Expo where students are exposed to organisations they can volunteer for. From
this we netted a good group who have assisted us in ways including research, IT support, and especially
the redevelopment of our Website and upgrading of our database.
Pauline attended the Front Line Conference (FLC); National HNZ Conference/AGM in Hastings and enjoyed the
chance to liaise and catch up with others around NZ.
As you know Christchurch will be the host city for the 2019 FLC/HNZ Conference/AGM and it was decided to involve
the whole Southern Region in the organisation and implementation of these events. It is a huge role to expect just
one branch (and often just 2 or 3 people) to undertake. We are hopeful that this will create a precedent for future
conferences so that whole regions take responsibility therefore taking pressure off just a couple of people. We
have a committee representing almost all southern branches and have had an initial face to face meeting in order
to get things rolling. A venue has since been booked and a great Keynote Speaker/Presenter.
Marie attended a Community Law Privacy Workshop and she is now officially our Privacy Officer.
Pauline prepared and presented a talk at Burwood Hospital to Chaplains and their assistants representing all city
hospitals.
Russell received a well-deserved Volunteer Recognition Award via VolCan for his services to the hearing loss sector.
The Board has worked on developing suitable Policy documents in order to have protocol to refer to when
necessary. Our thanks to NFD and Louise Carroll for providing guidance and allowing us to use NFD’s policy docu-
ments as guidelines for our own.
Russell and the Board worked on a new Constitution which has now been lodged with the Companies Office. Part
of the new document reflects our recent name change to Hearing Support Christchurch Inc.
Our annual Tinnitus Workshop was again well received and attended. This year we were pleased to have Dr Grant
Searchfield from AUT and Rosemary Mannering of StressCare as presenters. Both speakers were excellent and
attendees reported that they got helpful information from their presentations.
We continue to apply for Grants to the usual suspects but are finding increasingly that funding via this medium is
becoming more and more difficult to obtain and we are therefore considering alternatives via our Strategic Plan
(see later on).
We have a new flag that flies out the front whenever we are open. It reflects our recent name change and was
made possible by a grant from Christchurch Airport Community Fund.
Name changes also meant we needed updated business cards and this has been taken care of too. We now also
have blank cards for Board members to use when they are representing us in the community.
Pauline has continued to send out our It’s Hear internet newsbytes and Marie has done a fabulous job on the four
newsletters distributed during the year.
NEWSLETTER ANNUAL REPORT 2018 continued
As you are well aware nothing ever remains the same, and this is certainly true of the services we offer
our communities. To this end, Christchurch has been busy working on a new Strategic Plan (SP) to take us into
2018 and the next 5 or so years. We met twice with a representative from DIA who guided and assisted us with
the process and have since drawn up a draft Strategic Plan. Our thanks to Tauranga Hearing Support who kindly
allowed us to use their great SP document as a draft for our own.
I would like to record my personal thanks to Russell Simes for his years in the role of our President. Russell has
achieved so much for our branch and the community and is an inspiration to many. Russell has recently stepped
down due to ill health.
Thanks
Lesley McKone
Acting President
Treasurer’s Report for the year ending 31 December 2017
The finance department have faced another challenging year, constrained by declining income:
2017 2016 2015
Total Income $64,284 $66,781 $86,807
Interest received $15,790 $26,871 $42,298
Grants $13,055 $215 $7,945
We have sought professional advice re different investment options. Weighing up risk associated with the various
options available, we as a Board have decided that it is best to invest money in fixed deposits for the time being.
A significant increase in grants received and thanks to Pauline and support team who worked hard completing
grant applications. The final result for the year was a deficit of $62,559.
We do realize that we will need to do much more to address the issue and I am excited to share with you that we
are working hard putting together a Strategic Plan for Hearing Support Christchurch. Positioning us in a business
model (with reference to the Stan Shih, founder of Acer, smile curve below) the strategic plan would be equal to
the Concept/Research and Development on the graph below. This year, implementing our strategy, we facing the
Manufacturing phase, which means we could face a bigger loss than in 2017, before reaping the rewards; Sales/
After Service on the graph.
Challenging, though exciting times ahead; continuing Hearing Support Christchurch services and more to come.
Thank you to the Board and Management, supporting me as Treasurer; a great team to be part of.
Copies of the Financial and Service Statements will be available at the AGM.
Theona Blom
Treasurer
New Zealand Telecommunication Relay Services Beyond June 2019
Submissions close at 5:00pm, Friday 13th April
We apologise for the very short notice about this but we were given very little notice ourselves and with staff
on sick leave we have only been able to notify our e-mail list so far.
To make a submission you can find all the information you need at:
http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/technology-communications/communications/
telecommunications-relay-service/new-zealand-telecommunications-relay-services-beyond-june-2019
It is important that you or anyone you know that uses, or may in the future use NZ Relay, have your say
about the future of this service.
If you don’t already know NZ Relay is responsible for several specialist telecommunication services including
Captel (Captioned telephone service) and Video Relay. These services allow the full deaf, deaf blind and
hearing impaired to communicate with others when they can’t using a normal telephone by typing, signing or
talking if they wish. They also provide services for the speech impaired.
It is very important that this service continues and also moves forward with improved technologies but for
this to happen you need to have your say on what, if any changes, you would like to see in the service.
If you aren’t able to make a submission through the above link you can e-mail:
relayconsultation@mbie.govt.nz or post feedback to:
NZ Relay Project Team
ICT Policy & Programmes
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
PO Box 1473
Wellington 6140
More than six out of ten young Australians experience tinnitus
Tinnitus is widespread among younger persons, a study finds. But most of
the young people only experience tinnitus temporarily.
A study among 11- 35 year old Australians shows that 63% experience tinnitus.
Of those who experienced tinnitus, 55.3% said “yes, sometimes”, 5.1% said “yes,
often”, and 2.7% said “yes, always present”. 37% did not experience tinnitus.
The study examined the relationship between the life-time exposure to noise and
the experience of tinnitus.
Relationship between noise exposure and tinnitus
The participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire with an emphasis on leisure noise participation likely
to involve significant noise. This included dance clubs, concerts and other loud music events, personal stereo use
and playing an instrument in a band or orchestra.
The study showed an increase in the reported frequency of tinnitus with an increasing cumulative exposure to
noise.
The participants who experienced tinnitus were also asked how long their tinnitus lasted. 28% said “less than a
minute”, 34% said “a few minutes”, 16% said “up to an hour”, 16% said “hours – days” and 6% said
“always present”.
Of those who reported tinnitus all the time, 61% were males while 39% females.
About the study
The study was made on a basis of a sample of 1,435 people of the Australian population aged from 11 to 35 years
old that was recruited from various organisations including: high schools, universities, colleges and workplaces
within New South Wales.
The aim of the study was to make an estimation of lifelong cumulative noise exposure from leisure activities
amongst young Australians and relate this to the experienced tinnitus.
The study “Tinnitus and leisure noise” was published in the International Journal of Audiology, 56, 2017.
Article from https://www.hear-it.org/more-six-out-ten-young-australians-experience-tinnitus
NOTICE BOARD
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT MAKING A
HAVING PROBLEM
BEQUEST OR FUNERAL DONATION TO
HEARING SUPPORT CHRISTCHURCH? HEARING YOUR TV?
Ever tried using Captions?
Your Bequest will help secure our future and help
us continue to provide a long-term service to Captions are just like Sub-titles, but they are
hearing impaired Kiwis in our region. Once you designed for people with hearing loss and can
have taken care of your family, maybe you could help you to fill in the gaps.
think of us. Depending on what platform you receive your
Have a chat with your Lawyer if this is something TV signal through the set-up is slightly
you would like to consider doing. You will need different. See http://able.co.nz/captioning/
our Charities commission registration no. how-do-i-access-captions
(CC20011) and our correct name .-. Hearing OR contact our office and we can help you.
Support Christchurch T/A Hearing Association
Christchurch Inc. The captioning service is available on TV1, TV2,
TV3 and Prime.
Thanks so much!
PLUS……..
OR…. Don’t forget that we have TV Devices that may
When a loved one passes, donations can be made be the answer to your TV viewing woes.
at the Funeral towards the work of Hearing Call the office for a free appointment to trial
Support Christchurch.
We appreciate your support!
BATTERY PRICE LIST HEARING AID TUBING & CLEANING
Don’t forget to stock up on your hearing aid Do you struggle to change the tubing on your
batteries and other hearing aid supplies hearing aids?
We stock the following batteries: Is it difficult for you to clean your hearing aids—
getting into all those nooks and crannies?
Type Retail Member Supergold + Hearing Support can help!
Price Member Price
We now offer a cleaning and/or tubing change
service at the rooms.
Starkey & $8.00 $7.20 $6.40
Power One
13,312,675
Starkey 10 $9.00 $8.10 $7.20
Order your batteries by mail to save a trip! FREE to Members
(charge applies for tubing)
Postage $2.00 for up to 10 cards
Just call in and see our friendly staff
Don't forget to include your name and address so we
know where to send them to!
YOUR STORIES Text 111 Service
This is your Newsletter and we would love to hear
from any of our Members who have an experience If you have problems talk-
to share about their own hearing journey. ing on the phone you
Something that would encourage others; an
experience that has helped as you adjust to your can register your name
hearing loss; or perhaps a good news story outlining and number with the TEXT
how you have overcome barriers in your own 111 services, so in an
hearing loss journey. emergency you can text
Email your script to hearingchch@xtra.co.nz with
111 instead of having to
“newsletter story” in the subject line.
Please note that submitting items will not call. Visit: http://www.police.govt.nz/111-txt/how-
guarantee publication. Articles printed will be at the register-111-txt to register, or visit us and we can
discretion of the newsletter editor and board. help you with the process.
Check out the new badge we’ve
Check out this website featuring
Accessible Travel in NZ had designed!
http://www.oysternz.co.nz/ Pop in to the office or contact Marie at ma-
rie.hearingchch@xtra.co.nz if you would like to get
one
$10.90 to members with supergold card
$13.60 to non-members
Massey University
Study
Do you have any old hearing aids?
Massey University is researching the reasons for
Help give someone in Fiji a brighter future
the lengthy earthquake insurance claims process in We are involved in a project in a small under-
greater Christchurch privileged village in Fiji that will be providing hearing
If you would like to take part go to tests and fitting older or refurbished hearing aids to
those in need.
https://massey.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/
SV_9zbXgTFBtn4hQRn Please drop in any unwanted hearing aids to us and
we will pass them on to the project.
WOULD YOU PREFER TO RECEIVE YOUR NEWSLETTER VIA EMAIL???
If so, drop us an email or call the office and we will pop you on our Newsletter
Email list.
And of course this will help us keep postage, paper and printing costs down—
bonus!!
Hearing Aid Maintenance Supplies
Retail Member Member with Supergold
Hearing aid wax guards – Widex $ 9.50 $ 8 .50 $ 7.50
Hearing aid wax guards – Oticon $12.80 $11.50 $10.20
Hearing aid wax guards – Beltone $ 8.30 $ 7.50 $ 6.70
Air puffers $12.50 $11.30 $10.00
Drying capsules $ 1.90 $ 1.70 $ 1.50
Mini bottle-brushes for mould clearing $ .80 $ .70 $ .60
Brush with wax hook & magnet for battery removal $ 1.50 $ 1.40 $ 1.20
Vent cleaning tool $ 1.50 $ 1.40 $ 1.20
Cleaning pin $ 1.00 $ .70 $ .60
Hearwell gel $11.00 $ 9.90 $ 8.80
Ginkocare cream $11.50 $10.40 $ 9.20
News Snippets Oscar winners feature two films
Brain Training to improve your Audio Skills raising deaf awareness
This year “The Shape of Water” won 4 academy
If you were interested in the Harvard University research
mentioned in the last newsletter that showed that adultsawards including Best Picture. Short film “The Silent
with hearing loss, who play computer games designed to Child” also won the Best Live Action Short Film
improve audio skills, may have an easier time under- award. While the two films are very different they
both feature American Sign language. While opinions
standing conversations in a noisy room, here is a website
you might be interested in: vary with some people not happy with the fact that
the actress cast in “The Shape of Water” is not
https://thelisteningroom.com/
actually deaf, it is great to see films raising awareness
The website is sponsored by Phonak and Advanced Bionics of deafness and the use of sign language.
and has a variety of brain-training games available
aimed at helping people with hearing loss.
It’s free to register and has a range of activities and
resources to support the development of speech,
language, and listening skills in people of all ages with a
hearing loss. There are three sections with content
created specifically for different age groups: ‘Infants and
toddlers’, ‘Kids’, and ‘Teens and Adults’.
Although these activities may seem simple, they can have
a big impact on your listening. Especially if you are new
to wearing hearing technology, auditory training can
benefit your brain and help it get used to processing the
different sounds.
The activities range from practicing word discrimination,
to vowel sounds, and music development.HEARING SUPPORT CHRISTCHURCH REST HOME PROGRAMME
DONATION FORM
Approximately 18.9% of our population has some form of hearing loss. It is estimated that this number
can rise up to 66% amongst those in residential aged-care.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE MADE GENEROUS DONATIONS TO OUR REST HOME
PROGRAMME ALREADY — WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH!
HELP US TO CONTINUE TO HELP REST HOME RESIDENTS!
Remember that we receive no Government Funding and wish to continue to assist Hearing Impaired
Residents in Rest Homes /Villages. While we now charge rest homes a small fee, this by no means covers
all our costs, so we are very grateful for any donations received by you.
This allows us to keep providing this valuable service.
We appreciate your generosity!
I wish to donate to the Rest Home Programme:
$10 $20 $50 $100 (please circle)
Other $ ____________
MR / MRS / MS / MISS / DR / Other ________
NAME _________________________________
ADDRESS _______________________________
_______________________________________
Receipt Please □
Your donation is tax deductible, but you need to let us know if you
would like a receipt. Please tick the box above if you do.
Thanks so much for your donation!
NEWSLETTER CONTENT
If you ever pick up one of our Newsletters and think to yourself, “I wonder if there will be an article
about …………………………………………………………………………………(fill in what you would like to read about)
this time”, only to find that there isn't , then please drop us an email or give us a call and tell us what
you would like to read about in regards to hearing loss.
Please note—We will do our best to include your suggestions but we may not be able to find suitable or
reliable information on the topic you request.SENDER: Hearing Support Christchurch PO Box 6460 CHRISTCHURCH 8442
You can also read
